Jan. 21, 2009 at 8:34am

Electronic conversion or confusion?

Posted by Kathleen Deakins in Care Line Marketing, Community Relations, Internal Communications, Publications
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Think it’s time to ditch your paper newsletter for an electronic version? We’re hearing that more and more. We’re also hearing that sometimes losing the paper is a mistake. Here are some of the arguments for and against electronic newsletters:

Pro: Electronic is cheaper. Saves printing, mail prep and postage. No doubt about it.

Con: Mailing is the surer delivery method. E-mail lists are notoriously unreliable or nonexistent in most organizations. And e-mail will never reach everyone.

Pro: Readers like to be able to opt in and out easily and they feel good about less paper cluttering the recycle bin.

Con: With less physical mail in mailboxes all the time, paper newsletters stand out like never before. And electronic newsletters just don’t convey stability, substance and quality the way a well-designed print publication does.

Pro: Online archives make searching a cinch and keep your content around forever.

Con: Reading onscreen is tough and doesn’t do justice to more complex material.

Pro: It’s easy to gather lots of data – number of e-mails opened, number of links followed.

Con: Just because you can get the data doesn’t mean it is useful – or that you will use it.

A few other thoughts as you contemplate going electronic:

· An electronic newsletter is rarely just electronic. Some readers will insist on printing it out. Be sure the print-it-yourself version conveys the quality you intend.

· Don’t just post a pdf and call it an electronic newsletter. Make sure it’s readable. You might try simulating the experience of turning the page with UniFlip, but test it to be sure the type is large enough and navigation is intuitive.

· Large e-mails at best may never reach your readers; at worst may create enemies. Consider using low-resolution images and links.

· Make it easy for your readers. Post your newsletter online where it can be found easily. Create an archive. Add a search function.

In the end, deciding whether to switch is part reasoned judgment and part hunch. Focus on your objective and who you need to reach. Then choose the mix of media that will deliver. And track to be sure it does.

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